The present invention relates to the art of coin handling and sorting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular device for receiving unsorted coins, transporting the coins through a complex path, and sorting the coins by size into conventional coin wrappers or containers.
Coin sorting devices are useful for quickly and easily sorting and packaging coins of different denominations. Typically, coin sorting devices receive a plurality of differently denominated coins and direct each of the coins to the appropriate one of a plurality of coin wrappers or other containers based upon coin diameter. Such devices operate by causing coins to be moved along a predetermined path which has multiple sorting slots; one for each size of coin to be sorted and arranged in order of increasing size along the coin travel path. In operation, each coin drops through the first slot encountered which accommodates that coin's diameter and into a coin wrapper or container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,496 to Perkitny discloses a coin sorting device including a coin receiver into which a plurality of unsorted coins are deposited. A motorized separator mechanism lifts individual coins from the receiver and deposits same onto an upper portion of a helical coin path. The coins roll downwardly on the path where they encounter the coin-receiving apertures arranged in order of increasing size. Upon encountering the first sufficiently sized aperture, a coin will pass therethrough and into a waiting coin container and/or wrapper. Devices such as that disclosed in the Perkitny '496 patent have commonly been manufactured from clear or transparent plastic so that the coins may be clearly perceived as they travel from the coin receiving area to the sorted coin containers to provide amusement for an operator of the device.
Prior coin sorting devices have typically been entirely self-contained and not suitable for use together with other coin handling or sorting devices to provide a kinetic art form in the manipulation of coins. Therefore, their amusement and entertainment value has been somewhat limited due to the repetitious nature of the coin sorting operation. Furthermore, these prior coin sorting devices have not included an exit path for the coins other than into sorted coin wrappers or containers, i.e., these prior devices have not been designed to communicate coins to an adjacent or downstream coin handling/sorting device. Thus, they could not be rearranged to alter the manipulation sequence of the coins. Also, these prior devices have typically been motorized and/or operated solely under force of gravity so that, once a user placed the unsorted coins in the receiver, the user was relegated to the role of simply observing the coin handling and/or sorting operation. The user could not, himself, power the coin sorter. Obviously, over time, mere passive observation of coin handling/sorting operations can become tedious and uninteresting.
Prior coin handling/sorting devices have also been at least substantially pre-assembled using screws and other conventional fasteners requiring tools. Therefore, these prior devices could not be conveniently assembled and/or disassembled by a user as desired, at least not without use of tools. Therefore, these prior devices did not provide users, such as children, with a detailed understanding of their inner-workings for purposes of learning mechanical principles.
In light of the foregoing and other deficiencies associated with these prior coin handling and sorting devices, it has been deemed desirable to develop a modular coin handling and sorting device which is easily assembled by a user without use of tools, which allows a user to participate in the coin handling/sorting operation, which may be interconnected with one or more coin handling/sorting devices in any desired order to vary the coin path, and which provides a complex and varied coin travel path to increase a user's amusement and enjoyment of the device.